Lumbar Fusion Surgery Wednesday

[kubes]

Hey Kubes, I walk around my neighborhood. They get you up the day after surgery and encourage you to walk. I went to the gym Friday night, which is less than a week out of the hospital, and walked on the treadmill...I had to because it was raining pretty heavy where I'm at. I have to walk daily, even several times a day, because it feels so much better. Being immobile causes the glute and hamstring muscles to tighten up to a point where it becomes extremely painful...Especially the glutes, since those are the muscles closest to the where the fusion was done. Remember, I surgery was strictly anterior.









Me too Buck! I look forward to walking every day! Like I said above, it helps keep the muscles loose. Since I can't stretch, this is the only way to get blood in in there. I also hold onto something and do squats on my tippie toes which keeps my back and sacrum straight / flat.









Not too bad. They estimate ten degrees per disc. So, for me that will be twenty degrees lost. Considering the pain I've suffered through for decades, it was just something that I'll deal with.









Thanks Dragon! Believe me, it wasn't a decision I made lightly. Don't just read the reviews online, go out and talk to people and ask around. Make sure you see two or three surgeons and that each of them is a very conservative surgeon. The process from start to finish may take a year or more...Mine took longer because my neck is an issue as well. The insurance company will want to make sure you tried more conservative routes like chiropractic, acupuncture, and physical therapy, all within a recent time frame. After that they'll recommend cortisone. Cortisone only lasted between 2 to 3 weeks for me, and of course, they'll want current MRI's and any other scans they deem necessary.

Glad to hear it's all working out good brother. I am very happy for you


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[dragonfire101]

Here you go BIO found this on old phone.

This is a stand alone device, meaning normally no posterior instrumentation is required, huge advantage in increased recovery time.

I being told they can just do extreme-lateral lumbar interbody fusion (XLIF) for me?

 

[LEX]

I being told they can just do extreme-lateral lumbar interbody fusion (XLIF) for me?

they are wanting to do an xlift on you? well they make a stand alone device but I'm telling you its not as stable as the one I just posted. Plus recovery from xlift is waaay different then an anterior. Plus it's almost always backed up with post stabilization.

as far as clinical trial for the cervical disc it looks good but if it doesn't have 10+ years overseas I would be very careful.

 

[dragonfire101]

they are wanting to do an xlift on you? well they make a stand alone device but I'm telling you its not as stable as the one I just posted. Plus recovery from xlift is waaay different then an anterior. Plus it's almost always backed up with post stabilization.

as far as clinical trial for the cervical disc it looks good but if it doesn't have 10+ years overseas I would be very careful.

Ill have to call you regarding fusion.they said they do it with a bone graft as well.

 

[LEX]

Ill have to call you regarding fusion.they said they do it with a bone graft as well.

as a stand alone or using posterior screws to stabilize?

 

[dragonfire101]

hows things going Bio?

 

[GettingBackIn]

Any update on this? I ask because I had a very similar surgery 2 weeks after you. While I'm recovered from surgery, and my pain has been reduced, I'm still in a lot of pain and have hardly any use of my left leg. I just went in for another mri to see what else they might be able to do. Hoping your recovery is going better.

 

[Bio]

hows things going Bio?

Sorry Dragon, I missed this.

Any update on this? I ask because I had a very similar surgery 2 weeks after you. While I'm recovered from surgery, and my pain has been reduced, I'm still in a lot of pain and have hardly any use of my left leg. I just went in for another mri to see what else they might be able to do. Hoping your recovery is going better.

It's a long recovery...It's gone from 3 months to 6 months! My pain was terrible the first 6 weeks!! The problem for me was the fact that I've had low back issues since I was 17 and chronic by the time I was 22...So when he did the two level decompression there were a lot of angry nerves! After the 6 week point, I finally started to make improvements little by little. I still feel like I have a long way to go...If I sit or lay in the wrong position, I get some nerve pain in my feet.

 

[graybass]

Hey Bio! I know there are many of us who would really like to hear regular updates from you. I have been considering lumbar fusion for years. I've done EVERYTHING else. I am an old-time power lifter with 20yrs of competition. Heavy weights done did me in LOL! Now I am 50 pounds lighter and leaner but still in pretty bad pain. Really appreciate more feed back.

 

[dragonfire101]

Im still holding off and doing radiofrequencey ablation on my nerves in lower back until I get a fusion. Docs saying need a fusion, but i can still function pretty good and my pain minimal for up to 4 months with radiofrequencey ablation.

Thats a long recovery are you doing cardio at least yet? My lower back started around 18 and now 37.

 

[Cobraman]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but I have back issues myself w/ pain, numbness and weakness in my right leg. I was getting to the point of considering lumbar fusion. New studies just came out last month on using stem cells obtained from your fat cells or bone marrow to treat arthritic joints and spinal discs. I just got my consultation appointment and the receptionist told me they have done 102 of these procedures and the results have been amazing. I will be scheduling this procedure as soon as I can. I am tired of being in pain and limping around. I will start a new thread on this to inform the community.

 

[Bio]

Hey Bio! I know there are many of us who would really like to hear regular updates from you. I have been considering lumbar fusion for years. I've done EVERYTHING else. I am an old-time power lifter with 20yrs of competition. Heavy weights done did me in LOL! Now I am 50 pounds lighter and leaner but still in pretty bad pain. Really appreciate more feed back.

I'll try to update...Feel free to PM me too!

Im still holding off and doing radiofrequencey ablation on my nerves in lower back until I get a fusion. Docs saying need a fusion, but i can still function pretty good and my pain minimal for up to 4 months with radiofrequencey ablation.

Thats a long recovery are you doing cardio at least yet? My lower back started around 18 and now 37.

I had RFA on my neck...Unfortunately it didn't last anywhere near as long as it was supposed to.

I didn't feel like RFA was a good idea on the low back...If I had a fairly sedentary lifestyle, then yes, but because I lift weights, I didn't want to just kill the nerve(s) which only masks the pain. I felt I would do more damage to my back that way because I can't feel the pain...Remember, pain is a signal.

Not trying to hijack this thread, but I have back issues myself w/ pain, numbness and weakness in my right leg. I was getting to the point of considering lumbar fusion. New studies just came out last month on using stem cells obtained from your fat cells or bone marrow to treat arthritic joints and spinal discs. I just got my consultation appointment and the receptionist told me they have done 102 of these procedures and the results have been amazing. I will be scheduling this procedure as soon as I can. I am tired of being in pain and limping around. I will start a new thread on this to inform the community.

Is this going through insurance? I think it's a great idea but insurance covering it or paying out of pocket is another story...Keep us posted!

 

[dragonfire101]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but I have back issues myself w/ pain, numbness and weakness in my right leg. I was getting to the point of considering lumbar fusion. New studies just came out last month on using stem cells obtained from your fat cells or bone marrow to treat arthritic joints and spinal discs. I just got my consultation appointment and the receptionist told me they have done 102 of these procedures and the results have been amazing. I will be scheduling this procedure as soon as I can. I am tired of being in pain and limping around. I will start a new thread on this to inform the community.

i had it done in my neck. spent 3k didn't do anything. only thing works is real stem cells. save your money!

how insurance covering it? its experimental. i have great insurance too they pay for everything, but the doc wouldn't even try run it through because he said it wasn't covered.

 

[Cobraman]

Insurance doesn't cover it, but I am willing to pay if it works. Most recent study said it works, but has to be done with a certain protocol. As I said in my original post, the doctor's office said they are getting "amazing" results. I know talk is cheap, but I like the doctor and he is a straight shooter. Will find out much more at the consultation appt.

 

[dragonfire101]

Insurance doesn't cover it, but I am willing to pay if it works. Most recent study said it works, but has to be done with a certain protocol. As I said in my original post, the doctor's office said they are getting "amazing" results. I know talk is cheap, but I like the doctor and he is a straight shooter. Will find out much more at the consultation appt.

whos the doctor? if they are injecting into the disc it wont work well. look at the recent studies for disc injuries they are not good. i actually was one of the patients in a study for the procedure. it works decently for other injuries but results arnt good on disc injuries with it. are they claiming its gonna regenerate and heal your disk?

can you post a link to the study your referring to?

 

[Sigmund Roid]

Heal up and take good care of you.

That sounds like one hell of an operation.

 

[Cobraman]

whos the doctor? if they are injecting into the disc it wont work well. look at the recent studies for disc injuries they are not good. i actually was one of the patients in a study for the procedure. it works decently for other injuries but results arnt good on disc injuries with it. are they claiming its gonna regenerate and heal your disk?

can you post a link to the study your referring to?

I will post it later if I can find it again. I completely appreciate your input. Dr. is a physiatrist that does a lot w/ conservative tx of the spine. They have not claimed anything yet. I will find out more after my consultation. I am willing to give it a go if there is any kind of chance it will work. I will also look for the recent studies you are citing.

 

[Cobraman]

I will post it later if I can find it again. I completely appreciate your input. Dr. is a physiatrist that does a lot w/ conservative tx of the spine. They have not claimed anything yet. I will find out more after my consultation. I am willing to give it a go if there is any kind of chance it will work. I will also look for the recent studies you are citing.

I believe that the study you are citing is the third one(?). It still states that stem cell therapy is promising, but better protocols may need to be developed.

First and second ones are the ones I was referring to.

1.Handley et al. Mesenchymal stem cell tracking in the intervertebral disc.World j stem cells. 2015 Jan 26

2.Pettine et al. Percutaneous injection of autologous bone marrow concentrate cells significantly reduces lumbar discogenic pain trough 12 months. Stem Cells.2014 Sep 3

3. Krock et al. The inflammatory milieu of the degenerative disc: Is mesenchymal stem cell based therapy for interverbral disc repair a feasible approach? Curr stem cell res ther. 2015 Feb 11